The Correct Design for Your Machine Knives is Critical

Our team of experts will analyze your cutting application and provide you with recommendations and cost effective solutions that meet your requirements. We will help you choose the correct design for your specifications which will result in reduced initial costs, superior cutting capabilities and extending the cutting edge life of your knife.

Here are some suggestions for design changes to increase life or decrease cost:

Tolerances that are not important can be opened.

Unnecessary finish grinding can be eliminated.

Sometimes where cross sections are involved, an inlaid steel knife can be used instead of solid tool steel. See Fig. 1.

The knife can possibly be made larger to permit more regrinds.

The knife can possibly be thinner, narrower or shorter without reducing the number of regrinds. This is one of the easiest ways to reduce cost, since cost of a knife is almost directly proportionate to its weight.

A less expensive steel might provide the same or better wear resistance; for instance, A-7 will outwear M-2 where no heat is involved, and yet reduce the cost of a knife by 10%-20% or more.

It may be possible to reduce chipping and increase the life of a knife by modifying the bevel, as seen in Fig. 2. The bevels on the right are stronger and resist chipping.